The March holidays in Singapore are the first academic break of the year that school children can look forward to, and we as parents also rack our brains on the best ways to bond as a family while keeping the kids meaningfully occupied.
What can we do to ensure our children have fun (it’s a break after all) and pick up important life skills away from electronic devices?
Remember a time when children used to indulge in wonderfully imaginative games with our buddies? Such activities helped us develop our social, communication and creative skills (in other words, Emotional Quotient, or EQ), in a fun way.
The demands of the 21st century require children to be both IQ and EQ smart. And while our kids might not play Chapteh or hopscotch anymore, exposure to the arts can help fill this void.
Time for Fun and Family Bonding
Education, including exposure to arts, should not be limited to the classroom or school halls.
It starts with the family, and it can be part of our everyday lives.
The good news is that you don’t have to go too far in search of interesting activities this March holiday. The National Arts Council (NAC) is on a mission to bring arts to your doorstep through Arts in Your Neighbourhood (AYN) and Got to Move (GTM).
From 8-25 March, check out nearly 50 activities happening across the island ranging from a pop-up piano playground to musical tales and exciting theatrical sets.
All these events and activities have been developed with family participation in mind for the March holidays in Singapore, providing the perfect bonding time for the whole family! Mums and Dads will also be happy with this cost effective solution to keep the children entertained meaningfully.
To get the best out of the March holidays, we recommend the following AYN highlights for you and your kids:
1. Got to Move Pop-Up: Piano Playground
Join in the fun on larger-than-life piano play mats and create sweet tunes by hopping, skipping, jumping and galloping on giant piano keys! Your children will be exposed to the power of rhythm and music, and learn to express themselves through movement.
Also catch exhilarating contemporary dance performances by dancers from TRDO (The Royal Dance-Off). Family fun is guaranteed!
Got to Move (GTM) is a nationwide dance movement that celebrates the diversity of dance in Singapore. Into its 4th year, this year’s GTM includes two pop-up events in March and June, and an anchor festival from 12-28 October. All events are free and designed to give you and your children a fresh new experience with dance. Be sure to look out for updates on the GTM website, or follow @gottomovesg on Facebook and Instagram!
When: 25 March
Time: 11am-2pm
Where: Ang Mo Kio Central Stage, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 Singapore 569814
2. Nadine & The Enchanting Pots
Catch this delightful tale presented by Sweet Tooth, told with music and imagination! In this play, you will meet fantasy characters like Uncle Tapir, Glory the Chicken and Bandit the Tiger, and discover how Nadine uses three magical, melodious pots to bring harmony to her village.
Don’t miss it! It’s an interactive and immersive children’s theatre piece set in a kampung and presented in a contemporary style with two activity houses. This is suitable for children ages four and up.
When and where:
Various dates and locations as given below
Performances
24 March
5pm and 7pm
Ang Mo Kio Central Stage, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 Singapore 569814
Fringe Activities
23 March
5pm-8pm
Ang Mo Kio Central Stage, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 Singapore 569814
24 March
4pm-7pm
Ang Mo Kio Central Stage, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 Singapore 569814
3. Nomadic Art Caravan
LOPELAB brings you the Nomadic Art Caravan! Watch as one of Ang Mo Kio’s open carparks is transformed into a mini art carnival ground, celebrating music, dance and theatre. Look out for performances by Disco Hue, Sobs, Legacy Dance Co, interactive art installations, children’s theatre workshops, five stone sewing and art jamming workshops, and larger-than-life old school game sets. You can also look forward to a free sampling of local favourites such as salted egg-flavoured goodies at this carnival.
When: 24-25 March
Time: 5pm-10pm
Where: Open Carpark at Ang Mo Kio Central 2
For more programme information and how to register, RSVP at bit.ly/NomadicArtCaravan2018
4. Simply Traditional
Celebrate Malay culture and traditions at this traditional arts carnival! Enjoy exquisite dance performances by professional dancers from Era Dance Theatre, accompanied by live music from ETHNICo. Featuring traditional games, silat demonstrations, batik and henna paintings, there will be something for all ages to enjoy.
When: 18 March
Time: 5pm-8pm
Where: Bedok Town Square, 207 New Upper Changi Road Singapore 460207 (Between Bedok Mall and Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre)
5. Castanets—Dance With Your Fingers!
Experience this unique visual and musical treat as the castanet ensemble of the Rose Borromeo Spanish Dance Company presents a selection of Spanish dances, with lively castanet percussions. Bring along your dancing shoes and join in the fun as the dancers share simple rhythmic patterns and dance steps.
When and where:
Various dates and locations as given below
21 March
12.15pm, 1pm
Tanjong Pagar Centre, 1 Wallich Street, Guoco Tower Singapore 078881
24 March
6.30pm-7.15pm
Kampong Admiralty Plaza, 676 Woodlands Drive 71 Singapore 730676
6. Superhero We Festival
Bring out the wild child in you and your kids with this very special inclusive arts festival! Themed “WILD CHILD” and brought to you by grounds-up inclusive arts movement Superhero Me, the festival hopes to empower children to build creative confidence, and design experiences for socialisation among children of different needs.
Join in the fun at WILD Dance Island, a suite of music and movement programmes; Maze to Dinner, a tunnel of tents featuring stories by pre-schoolers from Kindle Garden; Obstacle Octopus, a wooden obstacle course for children; and Village Square, where children can play games with one another and craft items to represent their role in their tribes!
When and where:
Various dates and locations as given below
17 March
11am-6pm
Enabling Village, 20 Lengkok Bahru Singapore 159053
12-16 March
1.30pm-4.30pm
Enabling Village, 20 Lengkok Bahru Singapore 159053
For more information, please visit here.
The Sweetest Way to Enjoy the Holidays
Bringing your kids to these arts programmes in your neighbourhood will help them connect with other kids, and enable peer-to-peer interaction and great family bonding. Won’t that be the sweetest way to enjoy the March holidays as a family?
Head down to our performances and stand a chance to collect a limited edition Arts in Your Neighbourhood tote bag. While stocks last.
Check out the full list of AYN programmes here. You can also keep up with more arts updates @nacsingapore on Facebook and Instagram!